A comparison in early high school students of the effect of an 8 week course of mindfulness (with and without parental involvement) versus normal school lessons on anxiety, depression, eating disorder risk factors and wellbeing

INTERVENTION: Adolescent mindfulness intervention (.b mindfulness in schools programme). Lesson duration 40‐60 minutes delivered once weekly over a period of 8 weeks. Lesson format is a mix of interactive activities, short talks and mindfulness practices. Topics include training attention, cultivating a curious, patient and friendly attitude towards experience, understanding worry, switching out of autopilot back to the present moment, learning to step back from thoughts and befriend difficult emotions, and applying mindfulness to movement. Delivered by external mindfulness teacher. A standard version of the curriculum and a modified version, with parental involvement, will be delivered and compared to a control group. The "Parental Enhanced" mindfulness group will receive the following additions: a one hour information session for parents before the trial commences, and access to a weekly you‐tube clip (approx. ten minutes) that descibes the key points of the lesson and the mindfulness practices to encourage discussion with child, reinforcement of importance of homework practice, and perhaps undertaking the practices at home together. No formal adherence checks will be undertaken. CONDITION: Anxiety Depression Eating disorders Wellbeing PRIMARY OUTCOME: Depression and anxiety subscale scores, and total negative affect score on DASS‐21 Weight and shape concerns subscales of the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire Wellbeing (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Mindfulness (CHIME‐youth multifactor questionnaire) INCLUSION CRITERIA: enrolled at selected school in Year 8, with passive consent from parent and active assent from student